American mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato apologises for the bed hair as we chat via zoom from Tasmania, where she’s preparing a series of concerts to mark her first time performing in Australia. “I’m windswept”, she laughs as she pats down her signature spiky blond hair. “I’m having a week of vacation, which is rare for me.”
Downtime for DiDonato is made rarer by a punishing touring schedule that sees her perform around the globe in recitals showcasing her extraordinary vocal technique, while juggling major roles in classical and contemporary opera. She’s a regular at the Metropolitan Opera in New York and has sung in the world’s top opera houses, including Milan’s La Scala and Covent Garden in London.
Hobart represents a significant change of pace, but DiDonato insists she’s just as excited to perform to audiences here; she believes people tend to have less cultural baggage in cities without a strong operatic tradition.
“When you perform in a city like Vienna or London, the audience is often listening to your performance through the filter of their favourite recording,” DiDonato says. “But I love the challenge of singing for people where it’s new, or uncharted territory. I like to think that, at least energetically, I’m taking them by the hand and saying: ‘Come, it’s beautiful. You’re gonna be OK.’”
